


Did you know I loved you? I don't think I told you enough.

by MadSophHatter



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Discovery
Genre: Cuddling, Declarations Of Love, Fluff, Fluffy Angst, M/M, angsty fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-23
Updated: 2018-01-23
Packaged: 2019-03-08 17:54:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13463484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MadSophHatter/pseuds/MadSophHatter
Summary: After Hugh is back, he notices some changes in Paul, mainly his new compulsion with the words "I love you."





	Did you know I loved you? I don't think I told you enough.

**Author's Note:**

> This is not betaed or spell-checked I just needed to produce some fluff after the last few episodes.

“I love you.”

Hugh isn’t sure if Paul has really just said that or if he’s dreaming. It doesn’t really matter. He’s still more asleep than awake so all the answer he can give is a mumbled, “M mm m mmmm.” Paul seems to understand him though because Hugh can feel a warm body press up against his. Insistent arms pull him closer and he can faintly feel a kiss to his neck. Hugh smiles into his pillow. He’ll probably have forgotten about this by the time he wakes up tomorrow.

“I love you.”

It’s cute how Paul slurs the words, his eyes barely open and bleary. He still has two hours left before he needs to get up, and he looks like he only got to bed a few hours ago. Hugh turns around enough to press a small kiss to Paul’s pale lips. “I love you too, babe. But I still have to get up and get to work.”

Paul groans indignantly and only pulls Hugh closer, clinging to him for dear life. “Only five more minutes!” Paul sounds like a petulant child, and Hugh can’t help but find it adorable. After all that’s happened to them, he can’t begrudge Paul this. Hugh can’t even imagine the hell it must have been for Paul to lie in this bed alone, one side of it empty and cold. He doesn’t even try. It’s too sad.

So he lets Paul hold him closer, lets him nuzzle his neck for a little longer. Paul needs the reassurance with all his senses. It’s not enough to hear or see or even feel that Hugh’s still there. Paul must smell and taste him too. 

When Hugh finally has to get up if he doesn’t want to be late for his shift again, Paul immediately grabs his pillow and wraps himself around it. That’s adorable too, but it also makes sadness pull at Hugh’s heart. Before he has to leave their quarters, he runs his fingers through Paul’s hair, thanking whatever gods there might be that they got through this. That they’re together again.

“I love you.” Paul gives Hugh a small peck on the lips as they meet in front of the mess hall.

Even though it’s such a small and innocent gesture, Hugh is startled by it. He blinks at his partner a few times. Paul usually abhors public displays of love. But his behaviour has changed quite a bit. Hugh just isn’t sure if he should get used to it or if the changes will be short-lived. For now he decides to take every shred of happiness they can have together.

It’s also untypical for Paul to take a lunch break so they can eat together. Normally he can’t be pried away from his work, not even by Hugh. It’s this most of all that shows Hugh how much what happened has affected Paul. He expects that sometime soon they’ll go back to normal, that Paull will spend most of his time in his lab with his mushrooms again. And that will be fine. 

For now Hugh has nothing to complain about. Just looking at Paul, seeing him eat, talking to him about the most inane things – it’s magical. Although Hugh has no recollection of the time they’ve lost, he can vaguely feel how close they came to losing this forever. 

“I love you.” The words are out before Paul is even through the door.

“I love you too, babe. You’re home early.” Hugh smiles and puts the PADD he’s been working on to the side. “Not that I’m complaining.”

“I worked really late yesterday. And Tilly said I look really tired and that she could finish our work for tonight. So she sent me to bed.” Paul snorts, but it’s with amusement rather than derision. “Ever since her stint as Captain, Tilly thinks she can boss me around.”

“Well, I for one am glad you’re listening to her.” Hugh pulls Paul close for a long passionate kiss. It’s nice to know that his temporary death hasn’t changed anything about the way their bodies fit together. Paul’s lips are still perfect on his, Paul’s tongue still feels amazing as it glides over Hugh’s. He still feels safe in Paul’s arms – maybe even more so than before.

They settle down early and watch an old romantic movie projection. That’s their usual compromise when Hugh doesn’t want to make Paul listen to opera and Paul doesn’t want to bore him with talk of his research. It’s nice to just cuddle and hold each other. It’s as if Hugh can feel Paul’s heart heal a tiny bit whenever they touch. He barely registers the plot of the movie, but the music is nice, and watching Paul’s face in the changing light is the most interesting thing in the universe.

“I love you.” There it is again. Just before they get ready to sleep.

“Paul, I know. I kind of got the hint when you went so far as to bring me back from the dead.” It’s difficult to say that, but Hugh manages a small smile. “You show me that you love me every day. So you don’t have to say it all the time.”

The look Paul gives him might be the most heart-breaking thing Hugh has ever experienced. There’s so much pain and loss in his eyes but also relief. Hugh has no idea what exactly is going on in Paul’s head. His partner only gave him a short summary of what happened when he was dead, how Paul was in a coma and met him in the mycelial network. Hugh has no recollection of that meeting if it ever really happened. But he has a vague idea that this might be linked to that meeting.

“But I do. I do have to say it.” There are tears in Paul’s eyes, and Hugh hurries to embrace him.

“Okay. I’m not complaining. Say it as often as you need to. I just want you to know that you don’t have to. Because I know, either way.” 

They remain like that for a while, just holding on to each other. Paul’s breathing goes from suppressed sobs to calm inhales and exhales. Hugh caresses his neck, hoping that will soothe him a bit.”

“Hugh, I love you so much.”

“I love you too, babe.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading. Visit me on tumblr.
> 
> http://lilbasthet.tumblr.com/


End file.
